Are Analytics Still a Challenge for You?

October 3, 2017

For event planners and marketers, analytical reports can be gold mines for driving registrations, adoption of tools and calculating ROI. However, the true potential of analytics remains underutilized in testing the effectiveness of marketing efforts, testing new audience segments and creating impactful cross-promotional efforts. This is mostly because there are a plethora of options and features available, as well as disconnected channels that add significant complexity to the analytical process and make accurate attribution extremely difficult.

If you have been struggling with putting your data to work for driving positive change within your organization, here are five essential techniques that can help you build accurate and effective reports.

  1. Use Campaign Tracking Parameters
    Add URL parameters to your links in web ads, emails and social media posts to capture campaign source, medium, term, content and name. This will enable you to analyze your traffic patterns and campaign ROI in detail. Google provides an easy tool for adding appropriate parameters to your links.
     
  2. Monitor in Real Time
    If your marketing automation system and/or analytics tracking solution provides this feature, then make the most of it. Monitor the audience engagement immediately after launching a new promotion since that is the time when you’ll probably see the most activity. This will help you not only understand which channels are delivering maximum value but also make improvements and corrections to your messages if needed.
     
  3. Compare Different Date Ranges
    Add depth to your analysis by doing week over week, month over month and year over year comparisons to get insights on whether critically important factors such as the audience size, page views, revenue and more are growing per your expectation.
     
  4. Compare with Industry Benchmarks
    Gain a better understanding of the trends occurring in your industry by comparing the performance of your assets with aggregated industry data. If possible, refine by geographical location, organization size and other categories, to get a more accurate picture of the space your company and events are a part of.
     
  5. Analyze for Mobile Devices and Platforms

Increasingly, the share of mobile devices is growing significantly for email and social engagement, as well as for searches and sales. To tap into the new opportunities that this presents, you first need to know what volume of your traffic is coming from mobile devices and platforms, and then analyze what content triggers deeper engagement on these.

​​​​​​

Add new comment

Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates. Water Stewardship Efforts MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship. In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step. MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030. From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts. Caring for One Another MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include: Unserved perishable prepared foods from events Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community. Fostering Diversity and Inclusion To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all. MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.